Intravenous feed bottle



IViarcim 21%, 1 M. R. FIELDS INTRAVENOUS FEED BOTTLE Filed Nov. 16, 1964 a,3 li, d3 Patented Mar. 25, 1957 3,311,268 INTRAVENOUS FEED BDTTLE Mack R. Fields, Lighthouse Point, Fla, assignor to Roehr Products Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,516 15 Claims. (Cl. 222159) This invention relates in general to liquid dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for parenteral administering of liquids, such as medicaments or nutrients, to a patient intravenously.

When liquids are being administered intravenously to a patient, it is desirable to determine the specific amount which has been administered, as well as the rate of administration, so that the dosage can' be accurately controlled. Heretofore, it has been conventional to provide a separate drip count chamber means connected in the conduit means between a liquid supply bottle and the patient to give the desired flow indication of the liquid being administered to the patient.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a parenteral administration apparatus wherein a drip count chamber means is formed integrally with a fluid supply container.

A disadvantage in the use of known administration apparatuses has been the tendency for air to become entrained in the fluid being intravenously administered to the patient. The inclusion of air in the fluid has been found often to occur during its passage through the drip count chamber means. The introduction of air into the blood stream of a patient must be scrupulously avoided. It is a further object of the present invention to provide fluid administration apparatus having means for preventing the fluid having entrained air from being administered to a patient.

Thus, a principal object of the invention is to provide a fluid supply container with an integral drip count chamber means. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a drip count chamber means having new and improved valve means for controlling the fluid inlet to the drip count chamber from the supply.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a drip count chamber means having new and improved means for removing entrained air from the fluid to be administered which may become entrained therein as a result of the liquid dripping into the pool of liquid in the lower portion of the drip count chamber.-

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a drip count chamber means having new and im proved means for preventing air from becoming entrained in the fluid to be administered.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a drip count chamber means having baflie means for removing entrained air from the fluid to be administered.

Yet another object of the present invention is the pro vision of such a baffle means operatively associated with the valve means for controlling the inlet to the drip count chamber.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid administration apparatus as described above with new and improved means for manipulating the valve means between inlet-open and inlet-closed positions.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a fluid administration apparatus having new and improved means for retaining the valve means in the inlet-closed position.

Yet another o'bjectof the present invention is to provide such a fluid administration apparatus wherein a housing is removably secured to the fluid supply container for enclosing the valved drip count chamber means, and means cooperating between the housing and the valve means for maintaining the valve means in the inlet-closed position.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description taken in connection with the annexed drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fluid administration apparatus embodying the invention in use in administering a fluid to a patient;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged diarnetric section, showing the valve in an inlet-closed position; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the valve in an inlet-open position.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawing and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the princi les of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention Will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a fluid supply container, or bottle, 9 is illustrated in FIGURE 1 suspended from a suitable stand S. Bottle 9 is preferably formed of a relatively rigid, transparent plastic material, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, or methyl :methacrylate. Bottle 9 may be conveniently formed by blow molding, as is well known in the bottle art. A flexible tube 35 is shown in FIGURE 1 extending from the bottle 9 to the arm A of a patient, as is well known in the art, for intravenous administration of the liquid contained in the bottle 9.

As can be best seen in FIGURE 2, bottle 9 includes a continuous side 'Wall 10. A suitably threaded stem is provided on the upper wall of the bottle, upon which a closure 11 is threaded. Closure 11 maybe adjusted to vent the bottle during withdrawal of the fluid therefrom. As shown, closure 11 may be provided with an upper portion 12 having an opening 13 therein for use in suspending the bottle 9 from a suitable support.

The lower portion of the side wall it of bottle 9 is provided with a reduced portion. A suitable upwardly opening cup-shaped housing 31 is fitted thereto. Housin" 31 is removably secured to the portion 14 of bottle 9, as by heat sealing or the like, to enclose administration apparatus connected to the bottle prior to the use thereof.

Bottle 9 further includes a bottom wall 15 which is inclined downwardly from the lower portion of the side wall portion 14. Bottom wall 15 terminates in a vertically disposed cylindrical wall 17. A flange 17a extends radially inwardly from the lower portion of wall 17. An elongated, transparent cylindrical wall 2% extends downwardly from the radially inner edge of flange 17a to define a drip chamber 20a which is, in the illustrated embodiment, integral with bottle 9. A flange 22 extends radially inwardly from the lower end of cylindrical wall 20, and a short cylindrical wall 21 extends downwardly from the radially inner edge of flange 22.

A stopper 18 is provided in the upper portion of the drip chamber. Stopper 13 is provided with an upper peripheral shoulder which is received Within wall 17 and seated upon flange 17a, and a lower portion received within wall 20. Stopper 18 may be formed of suitable elastomeric, or plastic material, and is frictionally sealed to cylindrical wall portions 17 and 28. A passage 19 extends axially through stopper 13. The diameter of passage 19 is preselected to dispense the fluid 16 from the bottle 9 in the form of discrete drops.

A second stopper 23 is provided in the lower end of the drip chamber. Stopper 23 is provided with an upper peripheral shoulder which is received within the lower end of wall and seated upon the flange 22, and a lower portion received within wall 21. Stopper 23 may be formed of a suitable elastomeric or plastic material, and is frictionally sealed to cylindrical wall portions 20 and 21 to provide a fluid-tight fit. Stopper 23 includes an axial passage 23a opening upwardly into an annular counterbore 25.

A cylindrical valve stem 24 is slidably mounted in the passage 23a of stopper 23. An enlarged head 28 is provided at the upper end of valve stem 24. An upstanding valve member 29 is provided on the enlarged head 28 to seat against a valve seat portion 13a at the lower end of passage 19 to selectively close the passage .19, as can best be seen in FIGURE 2. Stop means in the form of a pair of diametric projections 26 are provided on valve stem 24 below enlarged head 23 to engage the stopper 2% and limit the downward movement of the stem 24- through passage 23a to a lowermost position wherein a port 27 in the valve stem 24 is open to chamber 20a at the lower portion of the drip chamber 20a. Thus, the user is automatically apprised of the fully opened position of the valve wherein the port 27 is disposed immediately at the lower end of the chamber 20a and wherein the valve member 29 is spaced substantially below the inlet defined by the valve seat 18a so that the drops D falling through the chamber 20a may be readily counted and observed.

Valve stem 2-4 is normally frictionally retained against axial movement in passage 23a to hold the valve mem ber 29 in a valve closed position. However, the frictional engagement between the stopper 23 and the valve stem 24 is preselected to be overcome by a relatively small, axially downward force on the valve stem 24.

In the valve open position of FIGURE 3, valve member 29 is spaced below the valve seat 18a while the port 27 in the valve stem 24 is exposed to chamber 29a above the outlet passage 23a. Thus, as the liquid drips into chamber 20a from the lower end of passage 19, the drops D may be observed and counted through the transparent drip chamber wall 20. In falling from the lower end of passage 19, the drops D strike the valve member 29. A small clearance is provided between the valve head 28 and the inner surface of wall 20, and thus the liquid flows as a film along the valve head 2-8 onto the wall 20 and into the liquid pool in the lower portion of the drip chamber. Thus, head 28 eflectively defines a baffle which causes the liquid to flow in an extended path through the drip chamber 29a before permitting the liquid to pass downwardly from the drip chamber into the port 27 of the valve stem 24. The baflie effectively precludes the delivery of air bubbles with the liquid passing into port 27 as it causes a release of air bubbles from the liquid, such as may have been entrained therein as a result of the splashing of the drops D against the valve member 29 after falling through the drip chamber 20a,

Thus, the invention comprehends the provision of a battle for eliminating air from the dropped liquid in a drip count chamber. Herein, the baffle is movably positionable directly with the valve member 29 so as to maintain the baffle in a preselected adjacent relationship with the valve member. Thus, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, while the bafiie 28 may, as desired, be fixedly disposed within the chamber 20a or movable with the valve stem as in the illustrated embodiment, the baflle provides a highly desirable functioning in the elimination of air bubbles from the liquid conducted through outlet port 27.

The valve head 28 also serves to prevent air from becoming entrained in the liquid pool that is normally present at the bottom of the chamber 20a during the administration of the fluid. To this end, the projections 26 on valve stem 24 are positioned so that the engagement of the projections 26 with the bottom of the counterbore locate the valve head 28 immediately above the normal upper level 32 of the liquid pool at the bottom of the drip count chamber 20a. Thus, the baflie provided by the valve head 28 interrupts the movement of the drips dripping into the chamber, and prevents them from splashing into the pool of liquid present at the bottom of the chamber, which would ordinarily have a tendency to introduce air into the liquid pool. The liquid running off valve head 28 will run down along the chamber wall 20 and flow gently into the pool at level 32, thereby effectively precluding air entrainment as by forceful agitation of the pool. Thus, the liquid at the bottom of chamber 29a is substantially quiescent, and air is effectively positively precluded from being administered to the patient along with the liquid.

An axial bore 24a is provided in the valve stem 24 which opens at its upper end through port 27. One end 30a of the flexible tube 30 is frictionally fitted over the lower end of the valve stem 24. As can be best seen in FIGURE 2, when the fluid dispensing apparatus is initially assembled, the flexible tube 30 is coiled within the housing 31. Thus, the walls of the housing 3']. retain the tubing in the housing 31 in a relatively fixed position, so that the tubing cooperates with the frictional grip on the stem 24 by stopper 23 to retain the valve member 29 in the inletclosed position, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

When it is desired to use the above described administration apparatus, the housing 31 is removed from bottle 9 by an axially downward force which is effective to break free the housing from the lower end 14 of the bottle 9. The bottle 9 is then suspended from a suitable support, such as stand S (in FIGURE 1). The bottle 9 is then suitably vented. Prior to the injection needle (not shown) being inserted into the patient, the valve member 29 is moved from the inlet-closed position of FIGURE 2 to the inlet-open position of FIGURE 3, as by grasping the flexible tube portion 30a and pulling downwardly thereon. After assuring that the conduit is filled only with the liquid from bottle 9 and all air is expelled from conduit 30 by the forceful passage of the ilquid through the conduit, the needle is then inserted into the patient. The liquid passing from bottle 9 may now be observed, such as for counting the drops thereof, through the transparent wall 20 of the drip chamber. The liquid drops fall upon the valve member 29, and the baffle 28 prevents the inclusion of air in the fluid being administered to the patient, as discussed above. The air-free liquid enters the bore 24:: of the valve stem 24 through port 27 and flows through the flexible tubing 30 to the patient.

While the drip count chamber wall herein has been shown as formed integrally with the bottle 9, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the drip chamber can be formed as a separate member and suitably secured to the lower portion of the bottle 9, thereby permitting the bottle to be separately formed of a material other than that of the drip count chamber means.

The thickness of the stopper 23 is preferably preselected to be greater than the travel of the valve 29 in moving between the inlet-closed and the inlet-opened position. Thus, the valve 29 may be used as a quick shutoff means. More specifically, in one conventional form of administration apparatus, conduit 30 is provided with a flow regulator 30b which regulates the rate of flow therethrough. At times it is desirable to discontinue the delivery of liquid to the patient without disturbing the setting of the regulator. The movement of the valve 29, by suitable manipulation of valve stem 24 upwardly as seen in FIGURE 3 to return the valve to the inlet-closed position of FIGURE 2, may be quickly effected to provide this desirable quick shutofi function. As the length of the sealed engagement between the valve stem 24 and the stopper 23 is sufficient to preclude the movement back into the drip count chamber of any portion of the valve stem which was exposed to the ambient atmosphere in the valve-opened position of FIGURE 3, contamination of the liquid therein is effectively precluded.

I claim:

1. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber; inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form and form a pool of said liquid in the lower portion of the chamber;

valve means for selectively closing said inlet means to control the flow of liquid through said inlet means into said chamber;

outlet means for conducting the liquid from said lower portion of said chamber; and

means in said chamber movable with said valve means for limiting the free fall of said drops in said chamber and cause air bubbles which may become included in the liquid as a result of the falling of the liquid drops onto said last-named means to be released therefrom before the liquid passes into said outlet means.

2. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for releasing the air bubbles comprises bafile means defining in part said valve means.

3. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outlet means includes a movable stem carrying said valve means and having an outlet therethrough selectively communicating with said chamber.

4. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outlet means includes a closure defining a portion of said wall means and a valve stem reciprocably, sealingly movable through said closure and carrying said valve means, said closure having a thickness greater than the length of movement of said stem therethrough between inlet-closed and inlet-open positions of the valve means.

5. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber;

inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form;

valve means in said chamber for controlling the flow of liquid through said inlet into said chamber; and outlet means for conducting the liquid from said chamher.

6. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

Wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber and having a preselected wall portion;

inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form;

valve means in said chamber for controlling the flow of liquid through said inlet;

valve operator means extending from exteriorly of said chamber means through said preselected wall portion to within said chamber, said preselected wall portion having a thickness greater than the distance said operator means travels therethrough in moving the valve means between inlet-closed and inlet-open positions; and

outlet means for conducting the liquid from said chamber.

7. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber; inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form and form a pool of said liquid in the lower portion of the chamber;

valve means for selectively closing said inlet means to control the flow of liquid through said inlet means into said chamber;

outlet means for conducting the liquid from said lower portion of said chamber including means for operating said valve means for operating said inlet means; and

means in said chamber for causing air bubbles which may become included in the liquid as a result of the falling of the liquid drops onto said last-named means to be released therefrom before the liquid passes into said outlet means.

8. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said outlet means includes a valve stem defining an outlet passage and means for conducting the liquid from said outlet passage.

9. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 7 wherein said outlet means includes a valve stem defining an outlet passage and means for conducting the liquid from said outlet passage comprising a flexible tube having one end connected to the valve stem incommunication with said passage.

1%. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber;

inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form and form a pool of said liquid in the lower portion of the chamber;

valve means for selectively closing said inlet means to control the flow of liquid through said inlet means into said chamber;

outlet means for conducting the liquid from said lower portion of said chamber, said outlet-means including a valve stem defining an outlet passage and means for conducting the liquid from said outlet passage comprising a flexible tube having one end connected to the valve stem in communication with said passage;

means in said chamber for limiting the free fall of said drops in said chamber and cause air bubbles which may become included in the liquid as a result of the falling of the liquid drops onto said last-named means to be released therefrom before the liquid passes into said outlet means; and

means removably associated with said wall means for retaining the valve stem in a preselected position wherein the valve means is arranged to close said inlet means.

Ill. The liquid dispensing apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means removably associated with said wall means comprises a housing having a wall engaging the flexible tube to maintain the end thereof connected to the valve stem in a preselected position whereby the valve stem is maintained in said preselected position thereof.

12. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

a bottle defined by a continuous side wall, and an upper and lower wall, and adapted to contain a liquid therein;

means on the upper wall of said bottle for suspending the same in an upright position;

a drip count chamber including a transparent wall integral with the lower wall of said bottle;

a passage in the lower wall of said bottle for conducting liquid in drop form from said bottle into said drip count chamber;

a valve stem in said drip count chamber and having a valve seat member;

means mounting said valve stem for movement in said drip count chamber between a first position wherein said valve seat member blocks said passage, and a second position wherein said valve seat member is spaced from said passage so as to allow said liquid to drop downwardly therefrom;

baffle means on said valve seat member adapted to be engaged by the liquid dropping from said passage for effectively precluding the inclusion of air in the liquid as a result of said dropping;

means for moving said valve seat member from said first position to said second position including a tube fixed to said valve stem and adapted to convey liquid outwardly from said drip count chamber; and

a passage in said valve stem establishing communication between said drip count chamber and said tube.

13. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

a bottle defined by a continuous side wall, and an upper and lower wall, and adapted to contain a liquid therein;

means on the upper wall of said bottle for suspending the same in an upright position;

a drip count chamber including a transparent wall integral with the lower wall of said bottle;

a passage in the lower Wall of said bottle for conducting liquid in drop form from said bottle intosaid drip count chamber;

a valve stem in said drip count chamber;

an enlarged valve head at the upper end of said stem an having a generally hemispherically-shaped valve member thereon normally blocking said passage;

means mounting said valve stem for movement in said drip count chamber between a first position wherein said valve seat member blocl-cs said passage, and a second position wherein said valve seat member is spaced from said passage so as to allow said liquid to drop downwardly therefrom;

said valve head defining a bafile when said valve stem is in said second position which is engaged by liquid dropping from said passage to prevent the inclusion of air in the liquid as a result of said dropping;

means for moving said valve seat member from said first position to said second position including a tube fixed to said valve stem and adapted to convey liquid outwardly from said drip count chamber; and

a passage in said valve stem establishing communication between said drip count chamber and said tube.

14. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber;

inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into'said chamber in drop form and form a pool of said liquid in the lower portion of the chamber;

a valve member in said chamber for selectively closing said inlet means to control the flow of liquid into said chamber through said inlet means and having associated therewith means defining an outlet for conducting the liquid from said lower portion of said chamber, said valve means including stop means for limiting the movement of the valve means to maintain said outlet in communication with said chamber when the valve means is arranged to permit the conducting of liquid from said space into said chamber; and

means in said chamber for limiting the free fall of said drops in said chamber and cause air bubbles which may become included in the liquid as a result of the falling of the liquid drops onto said last named means to be released therefrom before the liquid passes into said outlet means.

15. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:

wall means defining a space for containing a liquid;

means defining a drip count chamber;

inlet means for conducting liquid from said space to fall into said chamber in drop form and form a pool of said liquid in the lower portion of the chamber;

outlet means for conducting the liquid from said lower portion of the chamber;

baflie means in said chamber for effectively precluding the forming of air bubbles in the liquid as a result of the delivery of the liquid drops to said pool; and

means for adjustatbly positioning said bafile in said chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,675,000 4/1954 Ford 128-2l4 3,105,511 10/1963 Murphy l28-214 X 3,211,150 10/1965 Foderick 128-349 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

15. LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING: WALL MEANS DEFINING A SPACE FOR CONTAINING A LIQUID; MEANS DEFINING A DRIP COUNT CHAMBER; INLET MEANS FOR CONDUCTING LIQUID FROM SAID SPACE TO FALL INTO SAID CHAMBER IN DROP FORM AND FORM A POOL OF SAID LIQUID IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CHAMBER; OUTLET MEANS FOR CONDUCTING THE LIQUID FROM SAID LOWER PORTION OF THE CHAMBER; BAFFLE MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER FOR EFFECTIVELY PRECLUDING THE FORMING OF AIR BUBBLES IN THE LIQUID AS A RESULT OF THE DELIVERY OF THE LIQUID DROPS TO SAID POOL; AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY POSITIONING SAID BAFFLE IN SAID CHAMBER. 